It’s one of those weeks again: you have 2 assignments due, exams are coming up and there’s a ton of other things to get done. The one thing you definitely don’t want to do during a week like this is stand in the kitchen for hours on end, and instead, you’ll want to use your free time to just chill a bit. A frozen pizza or a grilled cheese sandwich would probably be one of the classic alternatives to opt for in order to save time, but these dishes get pretty lame after a while. Plus, they are definitely not on the healthy spectrum when it comes to food. So, if you are having a tough week, or just want to save some time while still eating delicious, fresh food, keep on reading: 

1) Garlic Butter Pasta 

Garlic butter pasta is an amazingly simple, yet absolutely delicious fusion recipe which you can cook up in no time. Most of you will already have the ingredients needed this recipe at home, so this is also a great alternative if you are too lazy to hit the store. The only downside of this recipe is that it is not every housemate friendly, so you better offer them a plate as well so you are even with the garlic breath. 

What you need: 

• Half a pack of Spaghetti, Linguini or whatever pasta you can find
• 100g butter
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 2 spring onions 
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Bacon (optional)
• Chill flakes to taste (optional)

How to cook: 

1. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente (be careful to not overcook!)
2. Melt the butter in a pan. Add garlic, (optional: bacon and chilli) and saute for a minute.
3. Next, add soy sauce and oyster sauce to the mix. Let it simmer for a minute. 
4. Once the pasta is al dente, drain. You want the pasta to be firm in the middle, as you will now transfer the pasta into the pan with your sauce where it will finish cooking for another 3-4 minutes. While cooking you add the parmesan. Wait until the sauce is a bit thicker and has been absorbed by the pasta. 
5. Garnish with spring onion and more parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Done! 

2)  Wasabi-Mashed Potatoes, Smoked Fish and a Pickled Salad

This is a super easy recipe that you can cook up really fast, and still impress your guests with. It combines a ton of different flavours, that balance each other out really well. The wasabi potatoes, in particular, are an unusual twist to an old classic and give the whole dish a really nice punch. 

What you need: 

• 1kg of potatoes 
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 teaspoons wasabi
• Smoked fish (preferably mackerel or trout)
• 1 cucumber
• Vinegar (rice vinegar is best, but any other one will do as well)
• Salt and pepper
• Chilli flakes (optional)
• Sesame seeds (optional)

How to cook: 

1. Cook the potatoes and mash them. Add butter, salt and wasabi. 
2. Use a peeler to vertically peel off lengthy strips of cucumber. Add these strips into a bowl and mix with vinegar, some pepper, chilli (optional) and sesame seeds (optional)
3. Warm up the fish in the oven. It does not need to be heated for too long as it is already smoked.
4. Enjoy! 

3) Egg Tortilla 

If you are looking for something quick to cook up for breakfast or lunch, then you should have a look at these Egg tortillas. They are a breeze to make and the best part is that you can also eat them cold or heated up the next day. 

What you need: 

• Tortilla Wraps
• 4 eggs
• Tomato puree
• Whatever you want to add to your eggs (bacon, mushrooms, onions etc.)
• Salsa (optional)

How to cook: 

1. In the first step you basically just prepare an omelette. Toss the eggs together and whatever you would like to include. Add the mix to a pan.
2. Take a tortilla and spread tomato puree over it. Then lay it over the egg mix in the pan, while it is still liquidy. 
3. After a minute of cooking, flip over so that the tortilla is now at the bottom. Cook for another 30 seconds or so. 
4. Take tortilla from the pan and roll it up. You can use toothpicks to keep it together if necessary. Serve with some salsa on the side. Done!  

4) Pear, Gorgonzola and Walnut Flammkuchen

Don’t be intimidated by the fancy-sounding ingredients in this recipe. It is super easy to cook up in any situation and never fails to impress. Perfect for a weekday dinner or a date night, this typical Alsace dish combines an exciting combination of flavours that work incredibly well together. The great thing about Flammkuchen is its versatility, which means that you are basically free to choose what to add as your topping of choice!    

What you need: 

• 200g gorgonzola
• 2 pears
• Handful of walnuts
• 4 springs of thyme
• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 100g crème fraîche
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• Salt and pepper 

How to cook:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Slice pears into thin strips and chop walnuts.
2. Layout the puff pastry on a baking sheet. Evenly spread with crème fraîche. Add pears and gorgonzola. Next, add walnuts, thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle with honey. 
3. Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Done! 

5) Tomato-Feta Tagliatelle

This pasta requires minimal effort and brings you straight from your kitchen to the Mediterranean. It is especially nice on a warm summer day when you are craving something light to eat and want to enjoy the sun rather than spend a lot of time in the kitchen. 

What you need: 

• Tagliatelle 
• Olive oil 
• 200g feta cheese
• 250g cherry tomatoes
• Italian herbs 
• Pepper
• Fresh chilli (optional)
• Fresh basil (optional)

How to make: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C. Cut tomatoes in half. Add to a baking dish together with the block of feta. 
2. Add Italian herbs and drizzle with olive oil. 
3. Put into oven for 15 minutes. In the meantime cook tagliatelle. 
4. Once everything is done add the tagliatelle to the baking dish and mash everything up. Garnish with fresh chilli and basil (optional). Done!

What are your favourite weekday recipes? Let us know in the comments!